The present invention relates to a band clamping machine, which is capable of clamping a clamping band for clamping a member to be clamped, e.g., a joint boot of a vehicle.
To clamp joint boots of vehicles, metallic clamping bands are used. The metallic clamping bands were disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 50-14702, etc.
Said conventional metallic band is shown in FIG. 15. In FIG. 15, the metallic clamping band 101 has a looped band section 102 and a lever 104, which is fixed at an overlapped section 103 of the band section 102 by spot welding. When an inner diameter of the looped band section 102 is reduced by the lever action of the lever 104, an end section 104a of the lever 104 is fixed by fixing pieces 105.
To clamp a hose, etc. to a pipe by the metallic band 101, a hose is first inserted through the looped metallic band 101 and inserted on the pipe, then the metallic band 101 is moved to a desired position for clamping the hose. Next, external force is applied to the end section 104a of the lever 104 as a power point of the lever; the lever 104 is turned about an end face 106 acting as a fulcrum of the lever 104, which contacts the band section 102, in the direction of an arrow TL1. By this action, the overlapped section 103 is turned down together with the lever 104, so that the inner diameter of the looped metallic band 101 is reduced, and the metallic band 101 clamps the hose on the pipe.
The end section 104a of the lever 104, which acts to clamp the hose, is fixed on an outer circumferential face of the looped band section 102 by the fixing pieces 105. By the fixing pieces 105, the clamping by the metallic band 101 is maintained.
Another type of the clamping band was disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Gazette No. 2-292505. In FIG. 16B, a band section 107 has an engaging hole 107a in one end section and a lever 108 is fixed on the other end section of the band section 107 by spot welding. The engaging hole 107a is an opening section of a boss which is embossed in the one end section of the band section 107.
As shown in FIG. 16A, the band section 107 is formed into a loop by engaging an end 108a of the lever 108, which will act as a fulcrum point, with the engaging hole 107a. If the lever 108 is turned about the fulcrum point 108a, in the direction of an arrow TL2, a part of the band section 107 is turned together with the lever 108, so that inner diameter of the looped metallic band 110 is reduced and a member to be clamped is clamped. The end section 108b of the lever 108 is fixed on an outer circumferential face of the looped band section 107 by fixing pieces 109. By the fixing pieces 109, clamping by the metallic band 110 is maintained.
However, in the above described clamping bands 101 and 110, the levers 104 and 108 are manually turned so as to reduce the inner diameter of the band sections 102 and 107. The ends of the levers 104 and 108 are pressed by the operator's hand so as to keep the diameter reduction states of the band sections 102 and 107 the fixing pieces 105 and 109 are bent by a hammer which is held in operator's the other hand. By manually bending the fixing pieces 105 and 109, the clamping force of the metallic bands 101 and 110 are not fixed. Further, it is dangerous for operators to manually hold the levers 104 and 108 and manually bend the fixing pieces 105 and 109 with the hammer. And working efficiency cannot be raised.